Because Sinners Deserve A Second Chance
by ShadowDragon-24
Summary: Ed and Al return from Germany to Amestris. Ed wants to tell Winry the truth about his feelings towards her...But she has a bit of a surprise for him, what is it? EdWin Please R&R!
1. The Return Of The Elric's

_**Because Sinners Deserve A Second Chance**_

_**Part 1**_

**Disclaimer: **I Don't Own Fullmetal Alchemist in Any Way.

**Author's Note: **Takes place one year after the movie.

LET THE STORY BEGIN!

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_**Munich, Germany**_

Edward was in his room, nose buried in a book about science, rocketry and such. His younger brother, Alphonse, came into the room, also holding a book. They were busy, writing down formulas for acceleration and speed of a new type of rocket that was being built. The room was silent. The only thing that could be heard was the ticking of Ed's pocket watch and pencils meeting paper.

Al felt uncomfortable; he was not accustomed to silence. He and his brother would always talk to one another, and, whenever it was silent, he would get nervous and fidgety. "Ed?" he asked, finally breaking the silence. "Yeah, Al?" Ed responded, still writing away at his paper. Alphonse honestly didn't know what to say, he just didn't want it to be so quiet. "Um" he stuttered nervously, "what time is it?" he asked. _Oh yeah, that was _**real **_smart! _He thought automatically.

Ed pulled out his pocket watch. "10:35, why?" Ed asked as he closed his pocket watch and placed it on the desk. "Uhh, kinda late, don't you think?" he retorted. Ed paused in his work. "Yeah, you're right. If I wanna wake up tomorrow, I should go to sleep early" Ed declared as he marked the page of his book and closed it. Al was contemplating. _Well, that was severely quick! _He thought, somewhat annoyed.

Ed stood up and stretched a little. "Well, I'm off to bed" he said wearily. Al had barely heard him, he was thinking of Resembol. There had been something he wanted to ask Ed but was afraid of his reaction. Now is when he decided to ask him.

"Ed?" he asked, nervousness shaking in his voice. "Yeah Al?" the elder Elric retorted. "Do you ever…Think of home anymore? You know, like Resembol and everyone we left behind?" he asked quietly. Ed's eyes widened. He hadn't expected Al to ask him that and yet, he couldn't leave his brother hanging.

"I try not to" Ed declared. "But, every time I'm doing something, my mind decides to betray me and trails off. I think of Resembol's beautiful grass plains and open skies….And then…" his voice trailed off. "And then…I remember I may never see it again…" Al could see a small teardrop formed at Ed's eye. "Brother, I… I'm sorry" is all Al could manage before guilt began to consume him. "It's OK Al… You made the same sacrifice, you have your body back and there's nothing more I should ask for. If I had asked to get your body back and to stay in our world… No, that would've' been an unfair trade… Equalivalent Exchange after all" he stated sadly.

Al no longer wished to ask questions, he actually wished the silence would return. "Good night Al" Ed said quietly as he exited the room and headed to his bedroom. Al did the same and they went off to sleep.

In the middle of the night, Al was awoken when he heard Ed's voice from his bedroom. He quietly stepped out of bed and went to Ed's room. When he entered his room, he saw Ed, tossing and turning from an apparent bad dream.

Ed clutched the sheets at his sides and was breathing heavily. He had a nervous sweat going on as well. "Win… Winry..." he muttered though breaths. _He's dreaming about Winry _Al thought. But from the looks of things, it was not a pleasant dream. Ed clutched the sheets tighter. "Winry…Win…" he said, once again. Al quickly walked over next to Ed and shook him a bit. "Ed! Ed, wake up!" he demanded quietly.

After hearing Al's voice and feeling his gentle shaking, Ed's eyes finally shot up. He quickly sat up and scanned the room. "It was… It was just a dream" he stated, his nervous breath returning to normal. But he could still feel his heart beating, almost threatening to destroy his rib cage and come out. "You were dreaming about Winry, huh?" Al asked quietly. Ed finally caught his breath and thought for a moment. "I… I miss her…" he muttered under breaths. Al placed a comforting hand on his brother's shoulder. "It's OK" is all he could say.

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_**Resembol**_

Winry was busy in her room, working on some new automail designs. Her grandmother, Pinako, stepped in. "Dinner is ready" she stated. "OK, I'll be there in a little while" Winry declared. With a puff of her pipe, Pinako went off back to the kitchen.

_Why am I even working on automail? _Winry asked herself suddenly. _It's not like he's coming back or anything! _She was thinking of the one who would usually put her to work on new automail designs. The one she'd pull all-nighters over. The one who only came when his arm or leg got busted. Edward Elric.

"Winry!" she heard a male voice call her from downstairs. A cheery and kindhearted voice. "Marcus" she said quietly. Marcus was a young man, same age as her, who had moved in just a few days ago. He was a bit taller than her, had bronze hair that hung over the left side of his face and had brown, hazel eyes. "Coming!" she said as she turned away from her work and quickly went downstairs.

Marcus was on the sofa, happily petting Den, awaiting Winry. "Hello Marcus" Winry said shyly. "What are you doing here?" He ceased petting the dog and stood up to look at Winry. "Your grandmother invited me over for some dinner, that's not a problem, right?" he asked kindly. She smiled at him. "Of course not, the more, the merrier after all!" she replied cheerfully.

After dinner, Winry and Marcus went outside onto the porch and sat down on the chairs that were there. Winry was enjoying the gentle breezes that pass by, while Marcus was fidgety, seemingly nervous about something. She looked over at him and frowned. "Hey, is something wrong?" she asked worriedly. He looked up at her suddenly and shrugged nervously. "Winry, there's… There's something I'd like to ask you…" he responded. "Well, what is it?" she asked gently. "I… Know I've only known you for a few days, Winry, but… I think you're very pretty and, no, you're beautiful! And I was hoping… Maybe we could… Have dinner together sometime, just the two of us, you know, like a date?" he asked happily but nervously.

Winry could only stare in slight shock. She couldn't possibly go on a date with him! She still had feelings for Edward… And yet…

_Ed… _she thought sadly. She clenched her fists tightly. _No! I won't let him control my life! I'm sorry Ed, but… I have to get over you sooner or later! _She thought angrily. "You know what Marcus?" she asked politely. "Yeah?" he retorted, afraid she was about to reject him. "I'd love to go on a date with you" she replied happily. "Wha!? R-really?" he asked, surprised. She nodded once, smiling graciously. "Yes! How about… Friday at eight?" she suggested. He smiled happily. "Alright, I'll see you then, and thank you!" he said gratefully and then went off to his own home. Winry smiled as she watched Marcus run off to his house.

That Friday, Winry was getting ready for her date with Marcus. She picked up her hair in a high ponytail, was wearing a beautiful blue dress that reached just above her knees and blue strapped high heels. Her grandmother was leaning on the doorframe, watching her granddaughter get ready, scowling somewhat. Winry looked down at her grandmother. "Is something wrong?" she asked curiously. "You always told me you'd wait for Edward for as long as it takes for him to accomplish his goal" she stated simply. Winry scowled at her for a moment. "I got tired of waiting, and besides, it's not like he's coming back" she said sadly. "And if he does?" Pinako asked. Winry paused before replying. "Then he's too late" she said quietly.

Pinako took a puff from her pipe. "Fine" she said quietly and then left the room. "Hmph!" Winry muttered angrily, grabbed her purse, and went off downstairs. Just as she took the last step, the doorbell rang. She quickly walked over and answered it to see Marcus standing on the other side. "Ready?" he asked happily. "You bet!" she replied, and with that, he took her arm ad they went off to their date.

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_**Munich, Germany**_

Over the past few days, Ed had been having several unpleasant dreams and would wake up extremely tired in the morning. On Friday night, while he and his brother were working, he decided to sleep a little to regain some of his energy. He woke up suddenly, though, when his soft, comfy bed suddenly switched to hard floor.

"What the?" he muttered under a breath as he woke up fully. He took a look around to see… Nothing. He scanned the area and looked up to see…_ No! It… It can't be!! _He thought, scared. The Gate stood in front of him. The huge doors opened, but nothing came out. Instead, he heard a deep voice say, "You wish to return home?" Ed gulped nervously but said nothing. "Do you wish to return home?" the voice asked once more.

Ed shook his head and quickly gathered his thoughts coherently. "I would but…I've nothing to sacrifice" he replied quietly. "What if I made a deal with you?" the voice asked. "Depends, what do you mean by 'deal'?" Ed asked. "I shall let both you and your brother pass but" the voice paused for a moment. "You will not be able to do alchemy for exactly one year" the voice said. "And my little brother will be able to pass as well?" Ed asked. "Yes" the voice stated. "One question: why are you doing this?" Ed asked. "Because, even sinners deserve a second chance, now, do we have a deal?" the voice said.

Ed looked at his hands for a moment. "You've got a deal! No alchemy for one year and me and my brother get transported safely to the other side" Ed said. "Hmm, deal!" just as he finished speaking, black arms went out and quickly grabbed Ed from all over and began pulling him in. "As for your safety, you may end up with a few new scars" the voice said and the arms pulled him in completely, everything going black.

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_**Resembol**_

Marcus and Winry finished their dinner and went out for a stroll. "So, Winry, was it OK?" Marcus asked. "It was very nice, thank you" she replied contently. They had talked much during their date and had gotten to know each other too. They enjoyed each others company, to say the least. They continued walking. Winry looked up at the night sky, the beautiful starry sky and full moon. "It's a beautiful night, isn't it?" he asked. She looked over at him and smiled. "Yeah, it is" she replied.

After strolling around a little more, Marcus took her home. "Well, Winry, good night then" he said quietly. She smiled happily. "Good night" she said. He came up next to her and kissed her cheek. "I'll see you tomorrow" he said finally before turning around and walking off. Winry blushed heavily and put a hand to the cheek he had just kissed. She smiled, entered her house and went off to her room to sleep.

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That night, everyone in the Rockbell home was fast asleep. Well, _almost_ everyone, Winry was still awake as sleep would not seem to come. Her mind kept swimming from Marcus to… Ed. She sat up, feeling defeated and tired. _I don't like Ed any more! He made me wait too damn long and… I'm tired of him already!! _She mentally scolded herself, trying to convince herself that Ed no longer meant _anything_ to her. Den, who was at the foot of her bed, could feel her owner's disposition and woke up. She walked over to her and nuzzled her shoulder. Winry looked at the dog and smiled. "Oh, Den, sometimes it feels like you're the only one who can help me" she said as she patted Den gently. Den shrugged and licked Winry's cheek. She laughed quietly. "Go get some sleep, girl, I think I can sleep too" Winry said and Den went to the foot of her bed and went to sleep once again. Winry sighed and managed to get to sleep.

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_**Central, The Next Day**_

Ed's eyes fluttered open. "What the?" he muttered as he realized he was on lying on concrete. He put his hands to his sides and forced himself up. _Did… Did it work? _He asked himself. He blinked his eyes a bit and cleared his vision. "I'm in a damn alleyway… But maybe I'm not in Munich anymore…" he pondered and then stood up fully, which was difficult because his legs were shaking.

He leaned on the wall for support and slowly made his way out of the alley. He looked up to see a large building ahead of him. _It's Central's Military Headquarters'… Then that means… I'm in Central! _Ed thought, surprised. "I'm… I'm in Central… It… It worked!!!" he said excitedly and happily. He ran his fingers through his hair, still trying to breathe everything in.

_Al! That's right; The Gate let us _**both**_ pass! I've got to find him!_ Ed thought suddenly and then turned around back into the alley, only to see his brother's body on the floor a few feet from where he had laid. He slowly walked over to his brother; his body was aching, therefore making it very difficult to walk. He knelt down next to the younger Elric brother. "Al! Al, wake up!" he said, gently shaking Al's shoulder. Al's eyes opened slowly. "What the heck?" he asked wearily.

"Al, you OK?" Ed asked. "Aside from a couple of aches, I'm fine" Al replied as he slowly forced himself to sit up. "What happened?" he asked. "Well, Al, you see… The Gate opened and I made a deal with it in order to get here" Ed explained. "Where? Aren't we still in Munich?" Al asked. "No, we're in Central" Ed replied. "What!? What did you sacrifice!?" Al asked as he started to search his brother for a missing limb or something.

"No Al! I didn't sacrifice anything. I just can't do alchemy for one year" Ed explained. "But… Why did The Gate do this?" Al asked curiously. "It said that 'even sinners deserve a second chance'" Ed replied. "Weird" Al said quietly. "Whatever! Who cares!? We're back!" Ed said happily. Al smiled and nodded. "Yeah, you're right!" Al agreed. They both stood up and began walking out of the alley.

"Hey Ed?" Al said suddenly. "Yeah Al?" Ed replied. "Um…Where are we going?" Al asked. "Resembol, of course!" the elder Elric replied happily. "Oh yeah! Winry and auntie will be surprised, won't they?" Al asked. Ed stopped dead in his tracks, eyes widened fully. "Brother?" Al asked worriedly. "Winry…" Ed whispered. "Don't worry! I'm sure she'll be happy to see you" Al said encouragingly. "Hmm, yeah, you're right! I'm sure she will be!" Ed agreed.

"So, how are we going to get to Resembol, I mean, I don't have any money for train tickets" Al asked. Ed franticly started searching his pockets for money. Front pockets; nothing, back pockets; nothing! "Um… Al… I don't have any money either" Ed said nervously. "You've got to be kidding me!" Al said, surprised. Ed looked back at his brother and smiled sheepishly. "Do you have anything that we can probably sell or pawn?" Al asked. "I only have my pocket watch, but that won't get us much" Ed responded. "Damn!" Al cursed under a breath.

"In a walking mood?" Ed asked. "There is _no way_ I'm _walking_ all the way to Resembol!" Al declared angrily. "Alright then… Any other ideas?" Ed retorted. Before Al could respond, a car pulled up next to them. A military vehicle, to be exact. Ed and Al stared at the car curiously. Suddenly, the front doors on either side of the car opened. On the passengers' side, a woman with blonde hair and deep red eyes stepped out. On the drivers' side, a man with black hair and a patch over his left eye stepped out.

"Colonel Mustang and Lieutenant Hawkeye" Al said. Ed didn't say anything but simply scowled at Mustang. "Edward, Alphonse… But how?" Hawkeye, or Riza, asked. Neither of them spoke. "Hey shorty! Answer her!" Mustang, or Roy, demanded. "WHO YOU CALLIN' SO SMALL THEY CAN'T EVEN BE SEEN UNDER A MICRSCOPE!!!??? I'LL RIP OFF YOUR HEAD FOR THAT, DAMN IT!!" Ed demanded with his usual attitude towards anyone who discriminates his height. "Calm down Ed, he didn't' mean anything by it" Al said as he held Ed around his waist to hold him back. "Let me go Al! I'll rip him up to shreds for calling me short!" Ed demanded, Al simply continued to hold him back.

"You're making a scene, Brother" Al said quietly. Ed tried to struggle free one last time before huffing out a breath of defeat. With that, Al carefully let him go. "Same snarky attitude as always, I see" Roy mused. "Shaddup!" Ed demanded as he crossed his arms. "Now, how is it that you're here? Last time I saw you, you were on your way to the other side of The Gate" Roy asked.

Ed let out a breath. "Well, you see, I was… Um… I was asleep and then, all of a sudden, The Gate opened and I made a deal with it…I can be here, I just can't do alchemy for one year" he explained. "That's a strange offering" Riza interjected. "Yes, well, nonetheless, you_ are _here. What's done is done" Roy said.

"Hey, Roy?" Ed asked, rather shyly. "Yes Edward?" the colonel retorted. "This is kinda embarrassing, but… We need money for train tickets, are there any job openings around here?" Ed asked nervously. Roy raised a brow and broke into laughter. Riza shook her head and shrugged. "What the hell is so funny?" Ed demanded. Roy gathered his thoughts and finally stopped laughing. "C'mon, we'll take you to the station. I'll pay for your tickets" Roy said kindly. "What's the catch?" Ed asked immediately. "No catch, I just want to help" Roy replied.

"C'mon Ed, I'm sure Roy really just wants to help" Al reasoned. "I don't know" Ed said quietly. "C'mon boys, Roy has changed… Somewhat…" Riza stated. "Hey!" Roy complained. The Elric brother's laughed a little. "Alright, we'll take you up on your offer" Ed said and made his way over to the car and he and Al entered.

Once at the train station, Roy gave Ed the money for two train tickets. "Well, Roy, I'm…_ Grateful _for your offer so…Thank you" Ed choked out. The colonel laughed a little. "Don't mention it, good luck Fullmetal and Alphonse as well. "Thank you, sir" Al said and bowed respectfully.

"You're welcome Al, see Ed? Can't you be grateful like your brother?" Roy said sarcastically. "Don't push your luck!" Ed remarked and then went off to the ticket stands. With that, Roy drove off.

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_**The Train Ride**_

Ed was staring out his window, nervously tapping his fingers on the arm rest. "Why are you so nervous?" Al asked. "We'll be seeing Winry and Auntie Pinako again, why _shouldn't _I be nervous?" Ed retorted. "Oh, I know what this is about! You're nervous about seeing Winry, huh?" Al asked, suggestively. Ed's eyes widened and he blushed furiously. "Uhh! Of course not! I mean, it's just Winry, it's nothing like that!" he lied. "Uh huh, sure, whatever you say" Al said sarcastically.

"It's just… What if she doesn't want us around anymore…? We did make her wait a good while" Ed said sadly. "I'm sure she misses us just as much as we miss her, she'll be happy that we're back!" Al insisted. "What if…What if she's got a boyfriend?" he asked quietly. "I knew it!! This _is _about her!!" Al declared. Ed scowled at his younger brother. "Yes, Al, this _is _about her and I _do _happen to have feelings for her and, yes, I _am _afraid that we come back and she has a boyfriend and hates our guts!" Ed stated, somewhat angrily.

Al put a comforting hand on Ed's shoulder. "I'm sure she doesn't hate our guts. And, if she does have a boyfriend, we should be happy for her because she was able to move on" Al said. "Hmm, I guess you're right" Ed said. "But still, I'm kinda nervous" Al sighed heavily. "Just wait 'till we get there!" he encouraged. Ed shrugged and continued to stare out the window.

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_**Resembol**_

They arrived at their hometown of Resembol and smiled. "Nothings changed; the open skies and beautiful green field are as beautiful as ever!" Ed said happily. "C'mon! Let's go to Winry's house!!" Al said excitedly. Ed nodded and they began running along the dirt road…The dirt road that would lead them to a place they could call 'home'.

After a few minutes of running, they finally reached the Rockbell home. They walked up the few steps that led up to the porch. "Go on, Ed, ring the doorbell" Al said encouragingly. Ed couldn't contain his excitement. Any feeling of sadness and nervousness was now replaced by utter happiness! He gulped once, before, finally, ringing the doorbell.

In just a little while, Winry opened the door. But, once she saw who was standing on the other side, she gahsped. "E-Edward! Wha-What are you doing here!?" she asked, shocked. "Hi Winry" is all Ed could say. "But… How…You're supposed to be on the other side of that…Gate thingy! How did… But… Roy closed it and… How!?" Winry stuttered. "Sentences' Winry!" Al reminded from behind.

Winry looked over Ed to see him. "Al!? You too!?" she asked. "Of course!" Al replied. Winry looked at each one of them individually. Things were swimming too quickly in her mind. So many questions and no answers. Her head hurt, a little too much. Her knees fell weak and she fainted.

_**One Hour Later**_

Winry's eyes slowly opened and adjusted to the light. She realized that she was lying on the sofa and slowly sat up. "Winry, you're awake" Pinako said as she stood next to her. "Granny, I… I had the craziest dream. The doorbell rang and I went to get it, but when I opened the door, Ed and Al were on the other side" she said, still somewhat dazed.

She heard someone clear their throat from across the room. She looked up to see Ed, leaning against a wall across the room and looking at her sadly. "Ed?" she said quietly. He shrugged and looked away. Guilt was beginning to eat away at him. He hadn't wanted to make Winry faint, and now, he blamed himself for it and felt sorry. _It… It wasn't a dream? _Winry asked herself.

She carefully stood up and slowly walked over to Ed. Once he felt her walking towards him, though, he took small steps away from her, not really wanting to face her. Winry stood behind him, a couple of feet away, but kept her glare on him. "Granny, can you leave me and Ed to talk? _Alone?" _she asked. "Very well" Pinako said and left the room.

Ed wouldn't_ dare _turn around to look at her, but he could feel her undying gaze on him, nonetheless. "Ed, look at me!" she demanded. _Hell the fuck no! _Ed thought nervously. "Edward Elric, look at me!" she demanded once more. _Uh-Oh, she really is pissed!_ Ed thought. _She only says my full name when she's pissed! _He still refused to face her, but, sadly for him, every action has a consequence.

Winry put her hand in her back pocket, quietly, and produced a wrench, and Ed didn't even notice. She pulled her hand back as far as she could and, as hard as she could, swung it strait at Ed's head. Ed whelped and screamed in pain, but then bit down, hard, on his bottom lip, to hide the pain, and put his hands on the back of his head where the mechanic had hit. Winry could still hear him whimper slightly, though.

"Serves you right for ignoring me!" she remarked angrily. He slowly looked over his shoulder to her and shot her a nasty glare. "I come back after one fucking year and_ this _is how you welcome me!?" he asked. "You wouldn't look at me, you jerk! What else was I supposed to do!?" she demanded. He shrugged and looked away once again. "How!?" Winry said demandingly. "How what!?" Ed retorted. "Don't play dumb with me, Ed! How the hell did you get back from the other side of the Gate… Thing!?" she asked angrily.

He let out a breath and finally faced her. He explained to her how The Gate just appeared and made the offering to him. How he can't do Alchemy for one year. At the end of his explanation, she could only stare at him in shock.

"So… You sacrificed one year of Alchemy to get back?" she asked, feeling guilty for yelling at him and hitting him with her wrench. He nodded once. "But… You love Alchemy so much, it was such a big part of your life" she said. "It's a small price to pay, I've already been a year without Alchemy, and another year won't kill me and besides… I love this world and everybody here more than it" he stated.

Winry smiled sheepishly. "Well, that's good, I guess" she said. "So, uh, what's happened while I've been gone?" Ed asked nervously. "Not much, I guess… I did get a boyfriend" she said and Ed… Ed could swear he heard his heart crack into a million little pieces the moment she said… _Boyfriend._

"Oh… Really?" he asked quietly. "Well, yeah. I wasn't going to stay single for the rest of my life" she responded. "Oh, um… OK…" he said silently. "I'm… Gonna go for a walk. Al's outside, by the way, I'm sure he'd be happy to see you again. You should go say something" Ed suggested and then walked towards the front door and left.

Al saw his older brother exit the Rockbell home. "Is she awake?" he asked. "Yeah" Ed replied as he shoved his hands into his pockets. "Did you guys talk about anything?" Al asked. "Um… I don't wanna talk about it, OK Al?" Ed said subtly. "Um… OK, I guess…Where are you going?" he asked. "For a walk. You go ahead and greet Winry, I'll be back later" he replied simply and began walking down the dirt path. _I wonder what happened _Al thought curiously.

Winry stepped outside and saw a very confused Al and Ed's back, slowly moving away. "Um, hi Al" she said quietly. Al turned around to face her and smiled brightly. "Hi Winry! Long time, no see, huh!?" he asked sarcastically but happily. "Hmm, yeah" she replied with a smile of her own.

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**Author's Note: **This was originally meant to be an oneshot, but then, it got complicated. So it may be a two or three part thing… Sorry :(


	2. The Truth

_**Because Sinners Deserve A Second Chance**_

_**Part 2**_

**Disclaimer: **I Don't Own FMA In Any Way.

**Author's Note: **;) Cheerfully Part 2 is UP! If you liked the first one, I'm sure you'll like part 2!!

**WARNING: **If you oppose fluffiness, I suggest you just close the window of your computer, and walk away!

LET THE STORY CONTINUE!!!!

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Ed returned a few hours later… Around evening when the Sun was setting, to be exact. He had been walking through all of Resembol, greeting old friends and lending a hand here and there. He had also visited many of the places he, Al, and Winry would go as children, realizing how broken his heart truly was at this point. Nonetheless, he couldn't stay wondering around the ins and outs of Resembol forever, so he finally decided to return home.

As he walked home, he passed by a house and saw some one exit. It was a young man, about his age and little taller than him, just a little. Edward had never seen this young man, he figured he must've been a new comer and continued down the dirt path. As he walked, though, he could hear footsteps behind him. He carefully looked over his shoulder to see it was the young man. The only other house that the dirt road led up to was the Rockbell home.

He turned his head to face forward once more. _Could that be Winry's boyfriend? _He wondered.

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Marcus stepped out of his house and headed for Winry's house. He saw a young, blonde, man, heading in the same direction. The young man looked over his shoulder to see him and then looked forward once again. _Could he be one of Winry's customers? _Marcus thought. He looked around at his arms and legs but, sadly, the young man was wearing long pants, a long sleeved shirt and had his hands in his pockets.

_I guess I'll find out when I get to Winry's _he decided. He continued walking _behind _the blonde, not wanting to corrupt him in any way. It's not that the young man looked intimidating; it was just, if he _was_ Winry's customer and _had _lost a limb, or two, he was afraid that he might take out his anger, of not having limbs, on him.

Marcus had a strict policy towards anybody who had lost a limb; avoid them no matter what! He didn't want to be involved with _anyone_ who'd gone through so much pain. So, why was he crushing on an _automail _mechanic?

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Edward and the young man continued down the dirt road. Ed stepped the few steps of the front porch and carefully rang the doorbell. Marcus stayed at the bottom of the steps. The door opened, to a young, very angry, blonde mechanic. "Where the _hell _have you been!!??" Winry demanded.

"I was out" Ed replied plainly, no real emotion in the way he said it. She sighed, clearly annoyed. "Whatever, come in" she said and he quietly stepped in. Winry turned to follow Ed but stopped when she heard someone clear their throat behind her. She turned around. "Oh, Marcus, hello" she said shyly.

"Um… Am I… Interrupting something?" he asked nervously. Although both of them didn't know it, Ed was leaning on a wall on the inside, eavesdropping. "On, no, of coarse not! That was just a customer of mine" she explained. **Just **_a customer!? _Ed thought, surprised.

"I… I came to see you, to see if… You liked our date last night" he said. Ed's eyes widened considerably. Winry smiled at Marcus fondly. "I really enjoyed it, but, you could've come earlier, you know?" she asked. "Uh, well, you see, I was… I was kinda busy, that's all" he said, somewhat anxiously.

"Hm, alright then, c'mon inside" she said happily. He smiled at her. "Alright, but I can't stay too long, I still have things to do" he said as he walked over to her, kissed her cheek and went inside. As they both entered, Ed could only scowl slightly at each of them. Winry scowled back at him and he huffed out a breath and looked away.

Al was sitting on the couch in the living room and Ed came over and sat down next to him. "Marcus, this is Ed and, his younger brother, Al" Winry said, pointing to Ed and Al individually. "Hi" Al said, trying to sound cheerful. "Hi there" Marcus retorted. "Yeah, hi, whatever" Ed said scornfully. "What's up with him?" Marcus whispered to Winry. "Don't mind him, he's _always _like that" she replied.

Ed huffed out another breath and turned his gaze on a nearby lamp which, suddenly, looked very interesting. "I'll make you something to drink, OK Marcus?" Winry asked. "Sure, I'll just have some juice, like I said, I gotta get going, I still have things to do" Marcus replied. Winry smiled and went off to the kitchen.

"So" Marcus began. "How long have you been one of Winry's customers?" he asked. "What's it to you?" Ed retorted. "I was just curious" he replied nervously. Ed raised a brow. "Whatever" he said finally. Al was staying surprisingly quiet through this, not that Ed was complaining. Al was always telling him to control his manners and such. It kinda bothered him.

"You, um…You haven't answered my question" Marcus stated. "Your point?" Ed retorted. "I don't know anything about you and you don't see me asking you any questions" he said, annoyed. "Sheesh!" Marcus complained.

Winry walked back into the living room, holding a glass of orange juice. "Here you go, Marcus" she said as she offered the glass to him. He gratefully took the cup and took a sip. "Are all your customers so rude?" he whispered. Winry shot a quick glare at Ed and the looked back at Marcus. "No, he's a _special _case" she replied. "I see… Ever think about telling him to go to another mechanic?" Marcus asked. "I heard that!" Ed complained angrily.

"Please, Marcus, don't provoke him" Winry said sarcastically. Ed shrugged and crossed his arms scornfully. Marcus quickly drank the rest of his juice and placed the glass on the counter. "Well, sorry to drink and run, but I gotta go!" he said. "You'll be back tomorrow, right?" Winry asked. He smiled at her happily and kissed her cheek. Ed eyes flared angrily and he was restraining from strangling the man a few feet in front of him. "Promise!" Marcus said reassuringly.

Marcus went out the front door and left. The moment he did, Winry turned and faced Ed. "What the hell did you say!?" Winry demanded angrily. Al suddenly felt the tension in the air and stood up and left upstairs. "What are you talking about?" Ed asked as he stood up in front of her.

"Marcus told me you were rude, now tell me what you said to him!" she replied angrily. "He was getting in business that was not his own" Ed replied plainly. "What did he ask you?" Winry asked. "How long I've been your customer" he replied. "That's it? You could've just told him! What's gotten into you?" she asked. "Nothing's gotten into me, I guess I just don't like him" he replied as he crossed his arms and looked away.

"Are you jealous?" Winry asked. Ed blushed and looked at her irately. "Of course not! Why the hell should I be jealous?" the blonde asked. Winry looked at him, annoyed, and then let out a breath. "Whatever, can you show me your arm and leg so I can get to bed and, tomorrow, you can just leave?" she asked.

"Leave? Why would I leave?" he asked, curious that she would even suggest that. "Weren't you going to leave? Even though you've been thought to be dead for one year? Weren't you going to go look for the rest of your body?" she retorted. "Winry… You thought I was… _Dead?_" Ed asked sadly. "I didn't… Everyone else did, though… And things like that eventually rub off on you" she stated. "I see… But, Winry, I… I'm not leaving" Ed told her.

"What!?" Winry asked surprised. Ed gently took her wrist in his flesh hand and stared into her beautiful azure eyes. "Winry, the only reason I took The Gate's offer was because… I… I wanted" he stopped to look for the correct words to use. Suddenly they heard footsteps coming from upstairs. "We'll talk later" Winry whispered as she pulled away angrily and walked off. Ed stood there sadly, not sure what to think.

The footsteps, Ed found out, belonged to Pinako. "Hello Auntie" he said quietly as he sat down at the table. "Why the long face, short stuff?" the older woman asked. Ed brushed off the short comment and looked at her. "What's with Winry? Did I do something? I did, didn't I?" he assumed. Pinako took a puff from her pipe. "You've come a tad bit late, boy" she said. "Huh?" Ed asked, confused. "Winry says she's moved on, gotten over you. I talked to her, a few days ago, and she said that if you ever did come back, you were too late" the woman said. "I knew it! She does hate my guts!" Ed said miserably. "But" the older woman began. "I think she was only trying to convince herself… You may still have a chance" she said.

Ed let out a breath. "No… I should just leave and get out of her life… She'd be better off that way… We'll just act like I never came back at all, I'll find a new mechanic and try to move on" he stated. "It's your choice" Pinako said bluntly and then walked off to where Winry had gone. Ed went off upstairs to his room, to begin planning his next move.

"Winry" Pinako called out as she stepped into the work shed in the back of the house. "Yes Granny?" Winry called back. "We've lost a customer" Pinako replied. "What are you talking about?" Winry asked curiously, turning away from her work to face the older woman. Pinako took a puff from her pipe. "Edward says he plans to leave and find a new mechanic" she responded. "Fine by me" the blonde said, no caringly.

With another puff from her pipe, Pinako walked off. Winry continued with her work. She was serious about Ed now. He could go on and leave, she could care less! She no longer loved him and wanted nothing to do with him.

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_**The Next Few Weeks**_

Ed and Winry avoided each other most of the time. Sometimes, Ed would try to talk to her, but she would just ignore him or leave the room. Over these weeks, everyday, Ed would watch Marcus and her go off on their dates. He would see her come home with a bright and happy smile on her face. The smiles he could _never _bring to her face.

_It's good that I'm leaving_ Ed would tell himself. _She'll be happier once I'm gone… She'll be able to smile more… Real smiles_ he would think. But, Ed also thought about his life without her. Without her beautiful smile. Without her deep sapphire eyes ever looking at him again. Without her _being _there for him. But, what could he do? He had convinced himself that she wanted _nothing _to do with him and that she would be happier without him there bringing misery into her life.

_It was for the best_ he told himself. _It was for the best…_

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It had been at least a month since Ed's return. He hadn't told Winry about his idea for leaving and he thought she didn't know. He would be leaving over the next few days, though. Hopefully, he would be able to find a home somewhere far away from Resembol and he'd be able to move on.

He went out to town that day. He wanted to take a walk to clear his mind, if only slightly. He was walking, not really paying much attention to anything in front of him, and accidentally crashed into a young woman. She was carrying a few things which had fallen to the ground. "Oh, sorry, I guess I wasn't paying attention!" Ed apologized.

"It's OK" the woman said as she crouched down to pick up her belongings. She was Ed's age, had black hair and brown eyes. Ed crouched down and began helping her. "I really am sorry. I got a lot on my mind, I didn't mean to crash into anybody" he said apologetically as he picked up one of her things. "You're too modest, it's OK, honestly" she said happily. They finished gathering her things and stood up.

"Here you go" Ed said, handing the girl her things. "Thanks, my name is Meg Harrison, by the way, what's yours?" she asked softly. Ed gave her a smile. "Social person, huh? Well, my name's..." he stopped, his smile reversing to a frown. "What's wrong?" she asked kindly. "Sorry, it's just… If I told you my name, you'd probably just run away" he said sadly. "I don't judge people" she said kindly.

"Sorry, I gotta go" he said and began walking off. Meg wanted to know his name, though. He looked attractive to her and, because of this; she wanted to get to know him. She quickly grabbed his wrist and he quickly turned around. "Please, tell me your name" she said softly. Ed shrugged. "Please, I don't think you'd like the answer to that request" he said.

"I told you, I don't judge people" she said. He let out a breath. "My name is Edward Elric" he said quietly. "Edward Elric? _The _Edward Elric!?" she asked excitedly. "Why do you sound so happy?" Ed asked curiously. She let go of his wrist and stared into his eyes. "I know many people think you're a terrible person, but, I don't" she replied. "Huh? Why?" he asked curiously.

"What you did and went through, just to get your little brother's body back, you're a very inspirational person, to me anyways" she said happily. "Oh… Well, thank you" he said quietly. He had never had anyone tell him that he was in inspirational person. No one. "Edward"-"Please, call me Ed" Ed cut Meg off. "Hm, alright Ed, would you like to go out for coffee sometime?" Meg asked.

Ed's eyes widened in shock. "Look, I would, but… I'm trying to get over a recent heart break and I'm planning on moving soon, so" he stopped for a moment and scratched the back of his head. "Please, just one coffee?" she pleaded as she took his flesh wrist and caressed it softly. Ed looked at her and blushed nervously. "Um… OK, how about tomorrow morning at around eight? In the café in the corner?" he asked. Meg smiled brightly. "Alright then, I'll see you then!" she said cheerfully and then ran off.

Ed watched her run off. _Maybe, I'll be able to move on a little easier than I thought… _Ed thought. He turned around and began walking back to the Rockbell home. _Besides, if Winry could do it, I'm sure I could too. _

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_**The Next Day**_

Ed woke up at around seven thirty. He quickly got dressed and went down stairs. Winry was at the table, sipping at some coffee, but he payed her no attention. He made his way to the door and left, without even saying goodbye. Winry found this odd. He would usually say 'good morning' or 'I'm going out to town' but nothing. He just went through the door without saying anything.

_What's up with him? _She asked herself. She brushed it aside and continued sipping away at her coffee.

Ed walked to town, excited but also nervous. He felt he was kinda cheating Winry, but, he had to move on sooner or later, besides, Winry didn't feel the same about him. Life goes on.

Ed eventually made it to the café in the corner. He peeked through the window and saw that Meg was not there yet. He shrugged slightly. "Hello stranger!" he heard a familiar voice from behind him. He turned around to a pair of wide, brown eyes. "Hi there" he said calmly.

They entered the small restaurant and found a table they could sit at and sat down. They ordered some coffee and waited. Ed was relatively quiet but Meg could tell he was nervous. "Are you OK?" she asked softly. "Sorry, just a little shaky, that's all" he replied. "You don't have to be nervous, tell me something about yourself" she suggested. "I don't know if that's the best idea, most of my traits are… well, bad" he admitted.

"So far I haven't seen anything bad in you" she said. "Heh, that's because you don't know me all that well" he said, smiling. "Alright then, I'll tell you something about myself" she said. "Um…OK" Ed agreed. "Well, let's see… I'm kinda persistent at times, especially when I want something" she told him. "I figured that much out!" Ed said jokingly.

They both laughed a little and began conversating with one another. Ed seemed to be a little more open and less anxious than before. Their coffee arrived and they drank it while still talking to each other. After some breakfast, as well, they went out to town for a walk.

They reached the river and walked side by side, talking happily and simply enjoying each other's company.

"Ed?" Meg said quietly. "Yeah?" he replied. "I've been wondering are you still missing an arm and leg?" she asked. Ed looked at her surprised and shrugged. "I promise I won't run off if you are" she reassured. He smiled. "Well, if you must know, I'm still missing my arm and leg, but I really don't care. My brother has his body so I'm fine" he explained. "Aww, that's so sweet!" she said gladly. "Hmm, thanks" he said quietly, but smiling. "May… May I see your arm and leg?" she asked nervously.

"Um… Well, OK" he replied and pulled up his left arm. He carefully removed his white glove and rolled up his sleeve. "That's my arm" he stated. Meg absentmindedly put her hand on his automail arm and the other under his hand, which caused him to blush a little. She looked into his eyes. "And your leg?" she asked.

He gently pulled his arm away from her, bent down and rolled up his right pant leg. "My leg" he said. She bent down next to him and put her hand on his metal leg. "That's incredible" she whispered. There was a short pause before Ed spoke again. "Honestly, Meg, what do you see in a guy like me?" Ed asked. She looked up at him and smiled. "I see a lot of things" she said, smiling. "I see a very kind and generous person" she continued as she brought her hand up to his cheek.

He looked at the hand on his cheek, surprised, then back at her eyes. "I see a person who's happy living without an arm or leg so long as his brother has a body. I see… a sinned angel" she said delicately. He placed his hand on hers and closed his eyes. "Meg…" he said silently. She smiled softly and, oh so gently, kissed his cheek. His eyes widened and he looked at her stunned. "C'mon, we still have a whole day ahead of us" she whispered.

He smiled at her, fixed his pant leg and sleeve and stood up along with her. She took his flesh hand in hers and they continued walking in a comfortable silence.

By the time the Sun was beginning to set, Ed and Meg were on the way to the Rockbell home. Meg had interlocked her arm with Ed's and had her head leaning on his shoulder. Ed was calmly and relaxingly feeling her warmth and enjoying the fact that she was just there. She couldn't replace Winry, heavens no! But, it was better than moping around.

They reached the Rockbell house and were now standing on the porch. "Well, this is my stop, you sure you'll be OK going home by yourself?" Ed asked. "I'll be fine, don't worry about me" she said. "Well, good night then, I guess" Ed said before he began to turn to go inside. She quickly grabbed his arm and he turned around. She pulled him into a tight hug and he stood there, slightly stunned.

"I'll see you tomorrow, OK?" she asked contently. He smiled at her and nodded reassuringly. She put her head in the crook of his neck and buried herself in his scent. She gave him a tight squeeze once more, and pulled away. She gave him another particularly soft kiss on the cheek before turning on a heel and walking off. He watched her walk off and then turned around and knocked on the door.

Winry was the one to open the door. "Another late day, huh?" she asked. "Yeah, I guess" he replied. She let him walk in. He completely ignored the fact that Marcus was sitting on the sofa and went upstairs to his room. Today was good day for him. A very good day indeed.

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**A/N: **This is _NOT _where it ends! I promise, like I said, it may be a two a three part thing, so please, again, I'm sorry! And, don't worry, I will not abandon the whole EdWin thing, all _my _stories have happy endings, so, please, continue reading!! Please!?


	3. The Night In Resembol's Caves

_**Because Sinners Deserve A Second Chance**_

_**Part 3**_

**Disclaimer:** I don't Own FMA In Any Way.

**Author's Note: **YAY! Part 3!! Hope you like the story so far, that's all I can say right now… Oo

**WARNING: **If you oppose fluffiness, I suggest you close the window of your computer and step away slowly….oO

LET THE STORY CONTINUE!!! (Again)

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Over the next week, Ed's mood seemed to have perked up and he seemed to be out of the house a lot as well. Or so, Winry could see. She certainly noticed his change in behavior. He'd wake up early, come home late, and had permanent smiles on his lips. It was strange to her.

One night, on the second week of Ed's strange behavior, after Marcus left, she stayed up and waited for him. She sat down on the sofa in the living room and waited. Everyone else was asleep. She sat there. Waiting. Seconds turned to minutes and minutes turned to hours. After at least three hours, the door knob finally moved.

She peered at the front door. When it finally opened, she was surprised to see two figures. One was, unmistakably, Ed. The other was a young woman. "I had a nice time today, Ed!" the woman said cheerfully. "Yeah, me too, so, I'll see you tomorrow, huh?" Ed asked. The girl smiled at him and nodded. "Wouldn't miss it!" she said.

The girl leaned in and kissed Ed's cheek. Winry could feel her heart beating rapidly. _Why is my heart beating so fast!? It's not like I should care who kisses Ed! _She mentally scolded herself. The young woman pulled away and stared into Ed's eyes. "One of these days, you're coming home with me!" she whispered lustfully. Ed rolled his eyes amusingly. "I'll see you tomorrow" he stated and the girl left and he closed the door.

"A new friend?" Winry's voice caused Ed to jump and protest slightly. He turned around and faced her. "Winry, you're awake. I thought everyone would be asleep by now" Ed said uneasily. "Everyone _is _sleep, I just decided to stay up and wait for you, considering you've been coming home late for the past week… And now, I know why" she stated.

"What are you saying?" Ed asked. "Who was that anyway?" Winry retorted. "Her name is Meg Harrison, if you must know" Ed replied as he started towards the stairs. "I'm going to bed" he stated. "What about a shower first?" The blonde mechanic asked. He stopped and faced her. "Already took one" he declared. "What? When and where?" she asked. "Today, in the afternoon, in Meg's house" he replied matter-of-factly.

Winry's heart started beating faster again and she automatically wondered why Ed taking a shower in another woman's house bothered her. _I am _**not **_jealous! I moved on and so has Ed! _Winry told herself angrily. "I see… Well then… Sleep well" she said quietly as she walked up the stairs past Ed. Ed sighed and walked up the stairs to his room.

He walked in his room, closed the door behind him and leaned heavily on the door. He looked around the room momentarily. His eyes strayed to the dresser for some reason. For the past month Ed had bought some new clothes to live off and hadn't even tossed that dresser a care.

He carefully regained himself and walked over to the dresser. He gulped nervously as he stood in front of the dresser. He hovered his automail hand over a random knob. "I wonder if any of my old shirts are here" he whispered. He placed his hand on the knob. _Though I doubt Winry would keep _**anything **_that belonged to me…_ he doubted.

He tightly closed his eyes and slowly pulled open the drawer. Carefully opening one of his eyes, he looked in the drawer and was surprised to see all of his old black tank tops, pants and a few of his brown belts. _She kept all my clothes? But I thought... I thought she moved on… _he pondered.

"You're probably wondering why I kept all your old shirts" came an, all too familiar, voice. He jumped a little at first and then looked over at his bedroom door. Winry was there, leaning on the doorframe. Edward silently closed the drawer and looked at her once again.

"Actually, yeah" was his reply. Winry got off the doorframe and quietly closed the door behind her. It only took Ed two seconds to realize he and Winry were _alone _in _his _room. The blonde girl slowly walked over to him, which gave him the perfect view of how her hips moved so perfectly with the rest of the curves on her body. He started sweating uneasily.

_Is it me, or is it getting a little too hot in here? _He asked himself. Winry stopped once she was in front of Ed. _Oh brother! It's me, isn't it?_ He thought. He gulped, which was somewhat difficult considering, now, his throat had dried significantly. "I didn't mean to keep your clothes..." Winry said quietly. "Then why are they still here?" he asked. "The first few months, after you left, I had considered keeping them… But, later on, I realized, I had to move on…" she replied.

"So… What happened?" Ed asked absentmindedly. "After a few months, I decided I'd find a way to get rid of your clothes… Then, Marcus moved to town and he'd visit a lot. I'd get lost in automail and never found the time to figure out what I was going to do with your clothes…. After a while, I just decided you weren't coming back and it didn't matter whether or not I had your clothes or not, considering I never even walked into your room" she explained.

Ed hung his head so that his bangs shadowed over his eyes and said nothing. "Edward… I have something to confess to you" Winry began; Ed slowly looked over at her. "Ed, before you left, I did have feelings for you, I adored everything about you" she stated. Ed shrugged and looked away. "But" Winry began again. "Once you left, I tried to convince myself you'd come back…Days turned to weeks, weeks turned to months, and months turned to at least a year… I couldn't wait for you forever so when Marcus asked me out on a date I couldn't refuse because, I know if I did, I never would've gotten over you" she declared.

Ed shrugged and continued to look away. "I see" he said quietly. "Well, at least…" he trailed off. "At least, what?" Winry asked. Ed paused before answering. "I was going to say that at least we still have our friendship, but… I'll be leaving soon, considering you would've kicked me out anyway" Ed replied sadly.

Winry's eyes widened.She hadn't expected Ed to _actually _decide to leave! "Ed… What do you mean?" Winry asked. "Since you've gotten over me, I'm guessing you don't want me around. I'll leave, find a new mechanic and act as if this whole thing never happened. The moment I leave, you just act as if I never came back" Ed told the other blonde.

Winry was speechless, she had gotten over him, but she didn't want to lose their friendship completely! "Ed, you're just going to leave?" Winry asked sadly. "What do you mean? I'll just leave and be outta you're life and you'll be much better off! Why are you complaining?" Ed asked, curious at why she even cared that he was leaving.

"I got over you Ed… I hadn't expected to lose your friendship because of that!" she replied. Ed narrowed his eyes on her. "I don't hate you for moving on, Winry… But I'm not leaving just for you" he explained. "What?" Winry asked. "I'm leaving for myself, Winry. I also had feelings for you, if I stay here, I'll just hurt myself more than I need to" he replied.

Winry held back the tears that threatened to shed. "I understand… Good night, Edward" she said as she turned and began walking towards the door. "Good night, Winifred" Ed said quietly. _Winifred? He's _**never **_called me by my full name _Winry thought before she left his room completely.

Ed let out a breath. He stepped away from the dresser and commenced undressing himself until he was just in his boxers; afterwards, he went to bed and fell asleep.

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The next morning, Winry was the first to awake. She quickly got dressed and walked down the stairs to the kitchen. Her eyes strayed to her workbench. She saw, the usual, automail parts all over it. _That reminds me_ she thought, _I haven't checked… _**His **_automail_ she thought, somewhat scornfully.

She stared at the automail pieces for a moment, deep in thought. _I guess I won't check it, considering he said he'd get a new mechanic_ she decided finally. She continued to the kitchen and made herself some coffee. She heard steps coming down the stairs and looked up to see, it was Ed. _Oh great!_ She thought irately.

Ed took the final step and looked over to Winry. "Morning" he said plainly as he also walked into the kitchen. Winry, in response, simply took another sip of coffee. Ed made himself a cup of coffee as well and walked into the living room. He took a sip of his warm drink and sat down on the sofa.

They sat in an uncomfortable silence. After a while, Ed took a final sip from his coffee and stepped into the kitchen and put the cup in the sink. He then proceeded to the stairs. Winry didn't question his lack of words; she was already accustomed to it. Al came down the stairs now, somewhat groggy and tired looking. "Morning Winry" the younger Elric said through a yawn.

She smiled at him. "Morning Alphonse" she said cheerfully. Hey, she had gotten over one of the Elric's; the other was like a cute younger brother whose company was _always _appreciated. Al stretched his arms a little, walked to the kitchen and poured himself a cup of milk. Unlike his elder, he didn't mind milk.

"So, how's Ed?" Al asked as he sat down next to Winry. "I don't really want to talk about him, Al. Me and him… Don't exactly see eye to eye right now" she stated. "Oh, OK" Al said quietly. A while later, Ed came down the stairs, fully dressed in his usual long sleeve button shirt, long pants and vest. Ed, without a word, left the house through the front door.

"Where's he been going this past week?" Al asked curiously. Winry sighed; she _really _didn't want to talk about that. "He's… He's been going to his girlfriend's house" she said scornfully. "What? When did he get a girlfriend?" Al asked, surprised. "About a week ago" she replied quietly. "Strange, he didn't tell me anything" Al said.

"Yeah, well, I found out last night while I waited for him, so you're not alone. But, still, it does surprise me that he wouldn't tell _you_, I mean, you are his younger brother" Winry said. "You'd be surprised, sometimes he doesn't tell me everything either" Al stated. "That's just the way he is" Winry said sadly. They let out a breath in unison.

0000

The day went on as usual. Marcus came over for a while and Ed didn't return until _much_ later. Ed had taken a shower in Meg's again and Winry was finding it hard to restrain herself from throwing a wrench at his head when he told her.

And that was basically how it went for a couple days. Ed and Winry just avoided each other, Al tried to stay out of it and Pinako would scowl at both of them sometimes.

It was a routine that seemed would not end. Until, one day…

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_**The Night In Resembol's Caves**_

Ed and Meg had gone out on another one of their dates and so had Marcus and Winry. Little did they know they had both planned to go to the same place that night. They had, both, planned a romantic nightly stroll through Resembol's caves.

"To tell you the truth, Ed, I'm kinda nervous" Meg stated as she and Ed were on their way to the caves. "Don't worry, Meg, you've got me! I'm in pretty good shape, have faced perilous odds, blood thirsty chimeras and much worse! I'm sure a walk through some caves will be a piece of cake. I've got some pretty good fighting skills, we'll be fine!" Ed promised.

"Well, that does help, a little" Meg said, smiling slightly. "You worry too much!" Ed said jokingly. "Well, _I've _never faced such odds! So of course it's easy for you to say that!" Meg said. Ed rolled his eyes humorously. "C'mon! We're almost there!" the blonde stated excitedly.

Meg grabbed his flesh hand and they both began running over to the upcoming caves.

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"You sure this is a good idea?" Marcus asked as he and Winry walked towards the caves. "Of course I'm sure! You're not getting cold feet, are you?" Winry asked sarcastically. "Of course not! I just want to make sure you're not scared or anything" he replied. "Me? Scared? Yeah right!" Winry said confidently.

Marcus smiled at her happily. "What can I say? I guess I'm a little overprotective" Marcus stated. Winry laughed quietly. "You can be so cute sometimes, you know?" the blonde asked humorously. The bronze haired young man simply smiled brightly in response.

"Hey, look, we're almost there!" he stated happily. Marcus grabbed her hand and they began running to the approaching caves.

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Ed and Meg carefully stared at the structure in front of them. "C'mon, let's go" Ed said eagerly. Meg nodded and they entered the large cave entrance.

It took the raven haired girl a few moments to appreciate the beauty of the inside of the cavern. The way tiny openings in the ceiling let light pour in and stagger themselves on the floor to create a strange pattern. Some openings were even wide enough to see outside to the night sky.

"This is beautiful" she said quietly, still trying to breathe it all in. "Hm, I knew you'd like it!" Ed said cheerfully. "Like it? I love it! This is beyond beautiful, it's incredible!" she said. "C'mon, we still have the whole cave to check out" Ed said enthusiastically as he began walking over to another opening. "But, wait!" Meg said as she quickly ran over and grabbed his arm.

She had pulled on him so hard that he almost fell over. "What? What is it?" Ed asked worriedly. "Well, what if we get lost?" Meg asked anxiously. He smiled at her comfortingly. "We won't get lost" he replied. "How do you know?" Meg retorted. "This cave used to be a mining cave, the miners posted maps everywhere so they didn't get lost themselves and so they could know which places they already checked" Ed explained.

"Really? How do you know that?" Meg asked as she began loosening her grip on his arm. Ed frowned slightly, a few memories flooding into his mind, and then forced a smile again. "When I was a kid, I'd come here a bit to play around. I'd see those maps a lot, but I was young and they didn't really make sense to me, so I'd stay around the entrance the place so I wouldn't get lost" he explained.

"Oh, I see" Meg said understandingly. After that, they continued into the entrance that Ed had originally chosen.

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Winry and Marcus had entered shortly after Ed and Meg. They also had a talk about getting lost in the caves and Winry had told Marcus the same thing Ed told Meg and they had walked deeper into the caves but through a different opening.

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Ed and Meg walked deeply into the cave. Ed had stayed somewhat silent but Meg seemed content just walking through the ins and outs of the beautiful structure. She then looked over at Ed and realized he looked a little gloomy. "Ed, is something wrong?" she asked worriedly.

The blonde looked back at her and forced a smile. "I'm fine, don't worry about me" he lied. She walked in front of him, placed her hands on his chest, which caused him to blush slightly, and stared deeply into his eyes. "You can't lie to me, Edward" she said quietly. "Hm, I guess not, huh?" he said amusingly.

She smiled happily. "Don't worry about it for now, OK?" he asked. "Alright, but we talk about it later, OK?" she questioned. Ed nodded reassuringly. She pulled away from him and walked over to a nearby map. "So, where haven't we been?" Ed asked. "How about here?" Meg asked as she pointed to a spot the seemed away from the rest and somewhat secluded. "But, there aren't any other openings there" Ed said, eyeing the spot she had chosen curiously. "That's the point" she said in that lustful tone of voice she had.

Ed looked at her uneasily. He had been alone with her before but, that's not what bothered him. He had never been_ alone_ with her. "Moving a little quickly, aren't we?" he asked, scratching the back of his head and looking away. "Oh, c'mon, Ed" she said eagerly as she grabbed his flesh arm and began dragging him off in the direction of the secluded area she had chosen.

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Winry and Marcus had walked deeper into the cave. "This is real nice, isn't it?" Winry asked. "It is, if I do say so myself" Marcus replied happily. He walked over to a nearby map and studied it for a moment. "Where do you wanna go next?" Winry asked as she walked up next to him. "I don't know, I'll let you pick" Marcus replied. "OK, let's see" she said as she looked up at the map. "I can't decide; too many places to chose" she said finally. "Well, how about you close your eyes and choose randomly?" Marcus suggested.

"Hm, OK, I'll try that" she agreed as she closed her eyes and hovered a finger in front of the map. She then quickly placed her finger on a random spot, just as Marcus suggested. "Where did I pick?" she asked as she slowly opened her eyes. "Look for yourself" Marcus replied, somewhat alluring. She looked at where her finger had pointed and felt slightly nervous.

She had chosen a spot that was somewhat off and rather secluded from the rest of the map. "Um, do over?" she asked quietly. "C'mon, Winry, let's check it out!" Marcus said eagerly. She shrugged quietly and they began walking to the spot she had, regretfully, chosen.

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Ed and Meg had made it to the secluded cavern a short time after looking at the map. The area was indeed beautiful. Several openings on the ceiling allowed whoever stood below to see clearly into the night sky above while other smaller openings allowed light to totter itself on the floor.

Ed took one look around the area and smiled. "Well, this is nice" he said happily. "Yeah, I agree" Meg said in harmony. They both wandered around the isolated area. It was rather large but seemed exceptionally quiet and calming. There was also a small pool of water in the corner with some running water, possibly from a nearby stream. The sound of water flowing just added to the relaxing atmosphere.

As they were enjoying the cavern, they started hearing footsteps coming there way. "Ed, what's that sound?" Meg asked nervously. "It sounds like someone's coming" he stated. Meg quickly ran over to him for comfort. "Who do you think it is?" she asked. "Probably just some kids; no reason to get all jumpy" he replied.

Meg, nonetheless, grabbed his flesh arm and held it tightly. They now began to hear two voices. One was a young woman; unmistakably Winry to Ed, the other was a young man voice, sounding slightly familiar to both Ed and Meg.

The two walked into the cavern. Winry looked off to her side and gahsped. "Edward!?" she cried out, shocked. Ed smiled nervously. "Marcus!?" Meg questioned, surprised as well. "Marcus? You know him?" Ed asked curiously. "Of course I know him! He's my ex… Boyfriend" she replied, turning very nervous suddenly.

"Is that true?" Winry asked the bronze haired young man at her side. "Yes…" he muttered under a breath. "What happened to 'I won't be able to live without you'?" Meg asked her ex. Ed eyed her curiously.

"Are you kidding? My life has sucked ever since you left! I only started dating this… Mechanical freak to make you jealous!" Marcus declared. Winry gahsped sadly. "Hey don't you call her that!" Ed demanded angrily as he stood in front of Marcus. "Marcus… You can't mean that… Can you?" Winry asked sadly. "Of course I mean it! I never really liked you. I hate all automail mechanics'" He replied as he looked back at her and back to a particularly pissed off Edward.

"You sorry bastard!" he muttered angrily before he pulled back his automail hand and punched him right in the face. Marcus fell back on the floor, a hand on his now sore cheek. "Ed, you jerk!" Meg cried out angrily. "What? You still _care _for this piece of crap you call your ex?" Ed asked as he looked back to Meg. "Of coarse I do! It's not like I ever actually cared for you" she declared.

Ed's eyes widened sadly. "W-What?" he asked silently. "I. Never. Cared. For. You. Got it? I only dated you 'cause you looked good and I wanted make Marcus jealous too" she replied as she crossed her arms. "But…" he whispered quietly. "I never liked you like that, Ed. I don't date people who're missing limbs" she stated snarkily.

Ed's shoulders fell back in a saddened defeat. She hit a sore spot.

Winry was restraining from crying. "How could you do that to him!?" she demanded. "Easy, I already did it" Meg replied snarkily once again. Marcus slowly began to stand up and regain himself. "Why you little - You'll pay for that!" he said angrily. Ed didn't even notice, he was still shocked. Marcus quickly ran up to him and punched him back. Ed leaned on the cave wall for support and put his hand to his cheek.

"Edward!" Winry cried out. Ed slowly regained his balance and stood upright. He kept his head tilted so his bangs shadowed over his eyes. When he looked up, his eyes had an evil aura on them. He quickly ran forward and he and Marcus engaged in a fight.

Ed threw a punch, Marcus dodged it. He threw two punches, which Marcus also dodged, spun on his heel and pulled his leg up for a side kick. Marcus grabbed Ed's ankle inches before it hit his face. "Not bad" Ed said mischievously. "But that's the wrong leg!" he stated and Marcus's eyes widened. Ed pulled back his _automail_ leg easily then kicked Marcus right in the stomach.

Marcus took a few steps back, with a hand on his stomach while he tried to catch his breath. Ed went to attack again but stopped when he heard Meg call his name. He turned around and saw that Meg had an innocent look on her face. "Ed, look out!" Winry cried as she pointed towards Marcus.

Ed turned back to his opponent and saw that he was drawing a transmutation circle. Ed ran over and tried to stop him but Marcus had finished and quickly activated it. Ed stopped as the blue lights came upon the circle and underneath him; a huge rock hand formed and trapped him. His head and shoulders were the only things that were free.

"Ed!" Winry cried out as she ran over to the side of the transmuted structure. "You let him go right now!" she demanded Marcus. The young man glared at her and then slapped her hard and she fell to the floor. "You fucking bastard!" Ed cursed angrily as he struggled to get free. "Stop struggling, Edward, you'll be free in a few seconds" Marcus said mischievously. Ed stopped struggling and looked down at Marcus curiously. Suddenly, the huge transmuted hand came crumbling down, Ed fell along with it. But, instead of feeling the caves hard floor, he felt a fist right in his stomach. All his breath got knocked out of him. He stepped back from his opponent; fell to his knees then to the ground completely.

He could hear footsteps coming towards him as he lay trying to catch his breath. Marcus grabbed Ed by the collar of his shirt and pulled him up in front of him. Ed glared at the man in front of him, his breath still hitching. Marcus grinned and pulled back his free fist. He punched the blonde a few times in the jaw, which caused him to bleed at the side of his lip, punched him in the gut once more and punched him so he fell back and hit his back against the cave wall.

Ed fell to his knees again and then on the ground that he was facing the wall. He lost. "Edward…" Winry whispered sadly.

"Yes! Go Marcus!" Meg cheered happily. "C'mon, Meg, let's leave these two pathetic waste's alone!" Marcus said gladly. "I'd love to!" Meg replied and quickly ran over to her, apparently on longer ex. Marcus and Meg left the cavern and proceeded on leaving completely. When they reached the entrance, Marcus transmuted a wall across it, leaving no escape for the two remaining insiders.

Meanwhile, Winry carefully watched Ed from the floor where she lay. She forced herself to stand up and quietly stepped over to him. She cautiously knelt down next to him. He was still breathing heavily, apparently trying to catch his breath. "Ed, please be OK" she pleaded quietly. Although she didn't know it, Ed heard her plead. He slowly forced himself to knees and leaned on his palms.

He was breathing through his mouth; Winry could clearly see some blood drops hanging by his lips. He coughed up a little and spit out some blood. "Agh… Damn it" he cursed through breaths. His arms were shaky and he was having a tough time remaining on his palms. "Edward" Winry said, tears threatening to shed. She hated seeing him in the hospital; she much less enjoyed it when he was beat up.

Ed forced himself back so he could sit up and lean against the cave wall. He put a hand to the side of his stomach, a spot that felt sore due to the fight. Winry's tears finally shed and she couldn't take it anymore. She quickly put her hands on his chest and cried in the crook of his neck. Ed was surprised at her action and then became stern and blushed slightly. "Are you crying because I refuse to?" he asked because, as he recalled, she had told him she'd cry the tears that he refused shed. "No, you idiot! I'm crying because I feel sorry for you" she replied sadly. He shrugged quietly.

"I never told her anything, you know?" Ed said quietly "What?" Winry asked as she looked up at him. He shrugged, feeling slightly annoyed that he had to explain himself. "I never told Meg about my life; she knew about the basics, the fact that I was in the military, that I lost two limbs and about the human transmutation, but I never let her in about the life I had before, and after, all that happened" he explained.

"Why not?" Winry asked. "For two reasons; one, because I don't trust just anyone with my life, and, two, because if I wanted to move on, I needed to forget everything about my childhood and everything we shared when we were younger" he replied. Winry simply buried herself in the crook of his neck once again. They stayed like that for a while in the silence, just listening to the small pool of water in the corner.

"Ed?" Winry said finally. He shrugged quietly to indicate he was listening. "What will you do when we get out of here?" she asked. Ed took a deep breath. "I'm leaving, I told you. You remember, don't you?" he retorted. Winry held him tightly and then pulled away. "C'mon, let's just get outta here" she said quietly as she stood up. "Um, OK" Ed agreed.

He tried to stand up but his legs were still shaky. Winry looked back at him, turned on her heel and offered him a hand. Ed looked at her hand and gently took it with his flesh hand. She pulled him up on his feet and walked towards the opening, without giving him a second glance. Ed silently followed her.

After walking several minutes in silence, they reached the exit, only to see what Marcus had apparently done. "I can't believe he did this!" Winry protested. "He used you to make his ex jealous; why does _this _shock you?" Ed asked. Luckily on the walk over here, he had regained most of his strength and was no longer in too much pain. "Hmph! Nonetheless, get out us out of here" Winry told him.

"And, how do you expect me to do that?" Ed asked. "Can't you do Alchemy too?" Winry asked. Ed gave her an annoyed look and crossed his arms in front of his chest. Winry then remembered that he could not do Alchemy for one year due to the deal he had made with The Gate. "Oh, never mind" she said quietly. "Anyway, there's got to be another way outta here; we just have to find it!" Ed declared.

"How? This cave is huge!" Winry protested. "You give up too easily" Ed told her. "C'mon, there has to be a way out" he said and began walking to a nearby opening. Winry huffed out a breath and followed him.

In the new area was a ledge. Ed studied the lower level for a moment and proceeded climbing it. "What are you doing?" Winry asked. "What does it look like I'm doing? I'm climbing, maybe there's a way out on the higher levels of this place" he stated matter-of-factly. Winry watched him expertly place each leg on a new rock to reach the top. That is, until…

Ed placed his left foot on a loose rock. The rock came down and he slipped, holding on with only one arm and the rest of him hanging loosely. He could hear Winry chuckling quietly below. "Yeah, keep laughing at the only guy who can probably get you outta here and see where that leads" he said scornfully.

"Oh, Ed…Ha-ha, I'm sorry, it's just, ha, you were doing so well" she choked out through laughs. Ed huffed out an irritated breath. He pulled up his free hand to another rock and continued trying to scale up. He finally reached the top ledge and let out a breath. "Alright, c'mon Winry" He said as he looked down at the blonde mechanic below. Winry looked up and caught sight of Ed's golden eyes.

_His beautiful, intoxicating, golden eyes that I had fallen in love with. _She shook her head. _Damn it! I'm falling for him all over again! I. Do. Not. Love. Edward Elric!_ She mentally scolded herself for ever thinking she could love him again. "Hey, Win, You OK?" Ed asked. She looked up at him and nodded. "I'm fine, sorry" she said quietly.

"Well then, quit fooling around and get up here" he told her. Winry nodded once and proceeded climbing up the ledge herself. Unlike her partner, Winry actually tested each step before placing her full weight down on it. Just a little while before she reached the top, Ed offered his flesh hand to her.

She looked at his hand and then up at Ed. He was smiling slightly. She smiled back and gratefully took his hand. He pulled her up on the ledge. "Thanks" she said quietly. "Don't mention it" he said, looking away and blushing.

_He _**really **_is cute at times_ Winry thought happily, until she realized what she had just thought. She shook her head and looked away. _What are you thinking!? Get over him and get on with your life! _Winry thought angrily. Ed looked over at her and could tell she was thinking. "Winry?" he asked curiously. No response. "Winry, wake up!" he said as he snapped his flesh fingers in front of her face.

The girl shook her head and looked over at Ed. "Are you _sure_ you're feeling OK?" He asked, slight concern in his voice. "Sorry, just a little off, I guess" she replied. Ed gave her a final look of concern before he stood up and began walking again. Winry stood up, as well, and began following him.

They walked in silence. After a while, it seemed Winry was not paying attention and accidentally tripped and fell forward. On Ed, that is. She had fallen on him and they both fell to the floor.

"Ouch" Ed protested quietly. "What the heck happened to you?" he asked. "I tripped, sorry" she said. Ed shrugged angrily and then turned around so he was sitting down, while Winry's hands were still on either side of his hips. She stared into his eyes, somewhat shocked at his action. "Winry, what the _hell_ is wrong with you!?" He demanded. "What are you talking about?" Winry retorted. "What am I – You've never been _this _clumsy, sheesh Winry!" he complained further. Winry looked at him uneasily, looking for the answer in her mind.

"I'm waiting!" Ed said crossly. "Hmph! Just forget about it, OK?" she snapped heatedly. He huffed out a breath. "Fine! But one more clumsy move and you tell me what the hell is wrong" he told her. "Fine!" Winry agreed. "Now, get the hell off, damn it!" Ed demanded. Winry looked down to see she was, indeed, still on top of the blonde. She quickly got off and faced the other direction, blushing furiously.

Ed looked up at her from the ground and suddenly regretted telling her to get off. _Whose side are you on? Your own or against yourself?_ He asked himself angrily. He inhaled a deep breath and stood up. He brushed some dirt off his clothes, gave Winry a quick glance and continued walking with Winry behind him.

They had continued walking for a good half hour before they reached a dead end. "You've. Got. To. Be. Kidding." Winry said annoyed. "Now, hold on, look up there" Ed said as he pointed up to an opening in the ceiling. "That could be our way out" he stated. "But, Ed, it's kinda… High, don't you think?" Winry asked.

"Hey, are you calling me too short to be able to reach it?" Ed asked irately. "No, you moron!" she replied, annoyed. "I'm just saying; how are we going to reach it?" she asked. "Oh, well, we just climb, again" Ed replied. Winry looked up at the opening. It was getting late, so, they had no choice _but _to climb. "Alright" Winry agreed nervously.

"Well, let's go" Ed said and began scaling up the wall. Winry proceeded climbing after him. Ed learned his lesson this time. He tested each step before climbing it so he wouldn't fall and would warn Winry if he found a possible loose rock.

When he finally reached the opening, he carefully slipped one arm through and then the other and pulled himself up. He then leaned in again and offered Winry his flesh hand. She placed her hand in his and he carefully pulled her up. Once her whole body was out through the hole, they both looked up at the sky. They were tired of being in the dark, seeing the bright, full moon felt comforting.

"At least we're finally out" Ed said gladly. "Yeah, at least" Winry said in agreement. The opening had led them to the very top of the cave which allowed them to overlook all of Resembol. The sight truly was a wonder. Ed looked once and let out a saddened breath. "Ed?" Winry asked worriedly. He shrugged, indicating he was listening. "Something wrong?" she asked.

"If I told you, I won't be able to leave" he replied. Winry looked at him, concerned even further. "Just tell me" she said as she placed her hand on his shoulder. Ed let out another breath. "I'd rather not" he said quietly. Winry slid her hand off his shoulder and started playing with a few random strands of her hair. "Can we just go?" Ed asked quietly. "Let's stay up here a little longer, I'm kinda tired" Winry replied. "Alright" Ed said. They sat there for a few moments; Winry was regaining some lost strength whereas Ed seemed deep in thought.

Winry's eyes wandered off over to Ed. She studied the way his brown vest squeezed him tight enough to extenuate his lean body. She looked up at his hair, which he now kept in a neat high ponytail. She then managed to catch a glimpse of his golden eyes. The same golden eyes that burned like fire with a passion, determination, and strength.

She let out a defeated breath. _I _**do **_love him_ she admitted, though, she'd probably never tell him that. _No! I've got to tell him! I don't want him to leave me again! _Winry told herself. "Ed?" she said quietly. "Yeah?" He replied. "I… I have something to tell you" she told him. "What is it?" Ed asked. "I… I don't want you to leave!" she confessed as unshed tears finally ran free.

"What!?" Ed asked, making sure he heard her correctly. "Please, Ed, I… I don't want to lose you again!" She pleaded as she pulled him into a tight hug. She cried into his neck whereas he was still trying to comprehend what was going on. "Please, Ed, don't go" she beseeched.

"Winry, but, what about" – "I lied! Don't you get it, Ed!? I lied!" Winry cut him off and confessed. "Then… What are you saying?" Ed asked quietly. Winry held him tighter before she replied. "I'm saying… I want you to stay because… Because I love you" she whispered. Ed's eyes widened significantly. "Winry, do you mean that?" he asked silently. She nodded once. Ed relaxed into her hug and gently placed his hands on her shoulders.

"I love you too, Winry" Ed confessed happily but quietly. Winry pulled away from him and glared. "How come you didn't tell me?" she demanded. "I did tell you" Ed replied. "No, you told me you had feelings for me! You never mentioned love" she corrected. "But it's what I meant when I said feelings" Ed explained.

"Well, next time, be a little more cl-" the girl stopped completely when she felt Ed's lips pressed against her own. She closed her eyes and practically melted into his kiss. She slowly slipped her hands around his neck while Ed enveloped his hands around her waist.

Ed finally broke the kiss and stared into Winry's eyes while trying to catch his breath. He rubbed his forehead against hers and smiled. "Does this mean I can stay?" he asked amusingly. In response, Winry stared into his eyes a bit longer before she pulled him into another hug. "Of course you can!" she replied happily. Ed closed his eyes contently. "You're an idiot sometimes, you know?" Winry asked humorously. "That's why I need you" Ed whispered as he opened his eyes slightly. "I need you to keep me in check" he said humorously.

"You're never leaving again, right?" Winry asked pleadingly. "Of course not, I promise" Ed reassured.

And there they stayed a while longer, holding each other and feeling each other's warmth before finally deciding to return home.

And all this happened, just because _sinners deserve a second chance. _

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**A/N: **Well, finally done! Please review, constructive criticism, but please, no flames.


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